Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-05-20

1911. Ills was l0OmdS
Murdoch, a book binder, who was afterward
an officer in the war of 1919. Always inclined
to defamation and the stage, young Muir
doch made such progress as an amateur that
his father had him brought out as has been
stated. Beginning with the next spring, he
entered upon the life of a professional actor,
his first engagement being a financially dis
astrous one--at Halifax, where the company
failed-and his father had to send him money
to return home. Within two years. however,
at Forests own direction he was cast as
Pytbias to the formers Damon at Augusta.
}a. From that time on his progress was
steadily upward. play was written for
him by his bosom friend, Robert T. Cona,d.
which they were unable to put up on the
boards, and which, some years afterward
when renodeled, was as great q success as
Jack Cade. For ten years Murdoch con-
tnued to play in the large American cities
In 1910, while stage manager of the National
theatre at Boston, he determined to devote
more time to study and left the theater for
a few years, which he devoted to study.
teaching and lecturing He became an en-
thusiastic dis ple of DR.. James Rush. whose
work, entitled "The Philosophy of the Voice."
he has never ceased TO commend, and which
he has supplemented with "The Cultivation
OF the Voice." a work extensively used as a
text book among elocutionists.
In 1915 Mr.. Murdoch returned to the stage.
reappearng as Hamlet at the Park tbe.re
New York, and for fifteen years he
remained a Leading light upon the Ameri
can stage. His versatility was re-
markable, and he was equally success
full in both tragedy and comedy. His elo
cuton was perhaps the most perfect of any
American actor, and his fidelity to the
text and the intellectual refinement of his
stage conceptions were as conspicuous as thew
were exceptional In 1865 he played a most
successful engagement in California The
next year he went to England for rest
and recreation, but his reputation was
so great that English managers insisted
upon his playing, with the result that he filed
the largest consecutive engagement of his
life, his name heading the bills at the Hav-
mar ,et Theatre, London, for the season Of
10 nights. His reception at Iiyerpool was
even more fattering than in the metropolis
until in the very height of success. he was
taken i'll, thus compelling the cancelinr of
engagements at other English cities D,u.ino
his London engagement he PLAYED comedy
mostly, taking such characters as Charles
Surface, Alfred Evelyn, Rover in "Wild
Oats" Don Felix in 1.-The Wonder,n and
Fapid in The Dramatist," characters mostly
unknown to the present generation. At Liv-
'po'i hc aASo ildiliiet, ana MS fenCl-
ton was favorably compared to that of Kean
and Macready.
After his return to America he settled upon
a farm he had bought some years before near
Cincinnati, but during the theatrical season
he played III all the principal cities of the
Union as one of the leading American stars
On the breaking out of the civil war in 1861
all the intense and aggressive patriotism of
his nature asserted itself. He sent two sons
TO the army, one OF whom fell at Chicka-
manga, while he gave his whole soul to the
cause OF the Union, and served for time as
volunteer aid to Gen. Rosecrans. By hi>
timely counsel, his fervent exhortation, his
answering loyalty and oeaseless devotion to
the Interests of the government and its sol
Hers, he served his country as effectually as
any who bore muSllet or carried sword
de gave readings in aid of ladies' societies
'or the benefit of sick and wounded soldiers,
md published small volume entitled PA
riotism III Poetry and Prose-" the proceeds
" which went to the same end The sum